Stalling
by Crazy Dame
Summary: Sam worries over a new friend.


There was a soft knock on the door that caught Ava's attention, making her open her eyes and sit up slowly as she pushed curls away from her face and reached out to turn on the light, making her notice that she had fallen asleep with the tv on. "Who is it?"

"It's Sam."

The covers were pulled away as she swung her legs over the edge of the full sized bed. "Hold on." She fought back a yawn as she unlocked the door and opened it to find the younger Winchester look bashful. "Hey."

Sam offered her an apologetic smile as he tucked his hands into the pockets of his deep blue pajama bottoms as if trying to find a comfortable position to stand in before her. "Hey. I wanted to make sure you were ok and comfy." Although he spoke the words, _he_ looked like the one who should be checked on for those very things.

"I'm fine. Just... a lot to get used to." Ava took a step back to open the door wider, watching him patiently before quirking her head inside. "Come in." Even though things had changed in a major way for her, she was still as observant as ever. Although it was only him she went about locking the door, leaving nothing to chance at the moment.

"Thanks." Gentle blue eyes surveyed the room in silence before he turned around to face her, the look of uncertainty and worry painted all over his face. "How's your shoulder?"

Moving towards the bed she took a seat, nodding gently. "It's fine. I'll have to change the bandage soon." Reaching out with a slender hand she plucked the remote from amidst the covers and turned off the tv before turning at the waist to place it on the nightstand. "You want to tell me what's on your mind?"

"Hm?" He feigned innocence as he shook his head, dropping his eyes to the floor. "Nothing, I just wanted to make sure you were ok. Should I help you change it now so you can get to sleep?" He motioned to her left shoulder with a nod of his head before pulling his hands from his pockets. Having just noticed they were still there.

Ava gave him a knowing look with a quirk of a brow over a slate grey eye but let it go for now, happy with the offer of assistance. "I would appreciate it. The gauze and peroxide are in the bag on the table next to you."

While Sam turned to pull said items from the bag, Ava was pulling her shirt up over her head with a soft intake of breath as the skin around the gouge stretched and pulled. The tip of the spear had gone clean through her shoulder but that didn't mean it didn't hurt like hell. Carefully she pulled her arm from the strap of her bra and held her shirt to her chest as she felt him sit down next to her. "How's Dean?"

Sam worked as gently as he could as he pulled the blood soaked bandages from her skin, wincing to himself everytime he felt her flinch beneath his hands. "He's out cold. He fell asleep the second he touched the bed." He laughed softly and then grew serious as he inspected her shoulder closely. "I still say we take you to a hospital to get this checked out."

"I'll be ok." She did her best to cast a look at him from over her shoulder but gave up once she found the pain to be unbearable and held her breath instead as she let him clean the wound. Physical pain was something new to her.

Sam finished up as quick as he could, double checking his work silently before rubbing her arm. "Done." He stood from the bed to dispose of the bloodied guaze and napkins and then disappeared into the bathroom to wash his hands.

"Thank you." She pulled the strap of her bra back up her arm slowly before settling it over her shoulder and pulling on the shirt he had let her borrow. A chill ran through her, reminding her that she was going to need to stay warm. She pulled at the covers and slipped beneath them, her eyes on the door of the bathroom.

Sam reappeared a moment later as he dried his hands and gave her a smile, "You're welcome. You need anything else?"

Ava returned his smile and nodded at his question before patting the bed to motion for him to take a seat. "Yeah, you can tell me what's up."

He let out a sigh in realizing he had set himself up and quickly thought of a way to avoid giving her a straight answer as he moved to sit down next to her and found that he had a sudden interest in the towel in his hands. "I just wanted to make sure you were ok. You took a hell of a hit."

The woman next to him was not buying it and she reached out to stop him from wringing the white terry cloth around his hands with a light touch. "I'm fine. I'm living, breathing, getting cold, tired, hungry, and finally realizing what it is to have a bladder." She cracked a smile at his laughter before pulling the towel from him and setting it aside on the nightstand.

"Yeah, you'll get used to it eventually." Although the towel had been taken away his eyes were still trained on his hands. "I..." He cleared his throat and took a deep breath before turning his gaze to her. "While we were taking care of you, I got used to-"

"Sleeping next to me." The once angel finished for him with a soft smile. A knowing smile.

Another sigh passed his lips and he dropped his head. "It's weird, I know. I'm sorry. But it helped- **you** helped the dreams subside, the visions didn't wake me up with blinding headaches. Granted when I did wake up it was a dull ache but it didn't all come at once." He grew silent and tried to cast a look over at Ava from the corner of his eye to gauge her reaction but couldn't given how he had pinned his chin to his chest.

"Trust me, it'll take time but it'll come easier." Gingerly she touched his shoulder to make him look up and once he did she ran a hand through his hair with her signature warm and caring smile. Even after all that had happened she wasn't bitter. "In the meantime, come get under the covers."

They whispered to each other in the dark, Sam's fingers playing with her hair in a familiar gesture he didn't confess to doing while she had been recovering. He listened as her breathing slowed and closed his eyes when he felt her shift a bit closer to him. There would be no haunting dreams of Jessica or his mother. There would be no screams or flashes of disturbing things people should never see in their lifetime... But he knew that Ava understood. She understood where Dean didn't and comforted him when the older sibling didn't know how.

Ava had been his guardian Angel.


End file.
